While we all know that
it’s crucial to have an abundance of fresh, dry air in the engine
room to prevent overheating and corrosion, until recently owners of large
yachts seemed to be the only ones benefiting from the advanced ventilation
systems on the market. And in these days of higher-horsepower engines
being put into smaller boats, you’d think that the technology would
have trickled down by now.

Well, it has. Florida-based
Delta “T” Systems, a leading manufacturer of axial fans, moisture
eliminators, and electronic controls that manage airflow, is working with
an increasing number of custom and production builders of boats 40 to
60 feet—even up to 80 feet. The goal is to maximize engine performance
and longevity by maintaining consistent conditions in machinery spaces—and,
of course, to provide you and/or your engineer with a better working environment.

According to Michael
Murray, sales manager/engineer for Delta “T,” it was a logical
step for the company to make. For years Delta “T” has been retrofitting
systems into large yachts and working with megayacht yards as well as
commercial and military facilities to customize applications for demanding
operating conditions. Now the company is designing and manufacturing ventilation
systems for the hard-charging sportfishermen of Hatteras, Viking, and
Bertram, the go-fast boats of Donzi, and even the leisurely cruisers of
Grand Banks, among others.

Given the high horsepower
of today’s production boats, “air consumption is astronomical,”
Murray says. If an owner’s not careful about monitoring the situation
inside the machinery spaces, the engines can overheat; in the case of
electronic engines, they’ll automatically derate, reducing horsepower
output. Electronic engines or not, however, serious permanent damage can
result.

This is where Delta
“T” axial cooling fans come in. According to Murray, they run
on D.C. power (compared to A.C. power on the larger boats and commercial
craft) and can be manually controlled with a toggle switch or by a thermostat;
either way, he says it’s a simple setup that still provides a higher
airflow rate through what he terms “natural draft,” meaning
the engines pull air in through the combustion process.

The company works with
each yard to design and engineer the appropriate-size fans for their model
lines, which can be as small as nine inches; regardless, each unit has
a marine-grade aluminum housing, PVC fan blades, and a sealed motor.